A new kind of sports car has roared onto the scene, and for its manufacturer, BMW, it’s a game changer. The German company’s first plug-in hybrid, the i8 combines the lightweight construction of a racer with impressive fuel efficiency. "This car has no predecessor," says Adrian van Hooydonk, senior vice president of BMW Group Design, "and that’s what makes it so meaningful."

Rarely are automotive designers challenged with, or given the luxury of, employing the latest materials, developing fresh proportions, and completely reengineering the drivetrain—all at once. "We started with a clean sheet of paper," says Van Hooydonk, whose team produced a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic passenger cell sitting on an aluminum chassis, which they wrapped in an exterior of molded thermoplastic and aluminum (instead of the traditional steel). The i8’s aerodynamic silhouette is undeniably sexy, marked by dramatic scissor doors and distinctive character lines. "The car was created in part by the wind," says Benoit Jacob, head of design for the company’s i division.

Its sleek exterior is crafted of molded thermoplastic and aluminum.

The 357-horsepower i8 features a three-cylinder gasoline engine coupled to an electric motor. Thanks to the car’s rigorously streamlined form—the engineers even perforated the windshield wipers—its electric eDrive is smooth and quiet on the highway, with very little of the whine typical in many hybrids. Around town, it’s as silent as the all-electric Tesla Model S. The i8 can cruise in eDrive for up to 22 miles, twice the electric range of a Toyota Prius Plug-in, or sprint from zero to 60 in 4.2 seconds, accelerating faster than a Porsche 911 Carrera. At high speeds, with the hybrid-sport mode engaged, the i8 really comes to life, seamlessly transitioning between front-wheel, rear-wheel, and all-wheel drive. (Recharging the 7.1-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery takes 1.5 hours at 240 volts.) And for road trips, Louis Vuitton has partnered with BMW to create four pieces of carbon-fiber luggage ($26,050 for the set) customized to fit in the car’s backseat and modest trunk.

Louis Vuitton custom designed a set of carbon-fiber luggage to fit the i8’s trunk and backseat.

Striking an elegant balance between efficiency and dynamism, the i8 is a true tour de force of Teutonic design, one that shows just how smart and stylish sustainability can be. Starting at $135,700, it arrives in showrooms in September. bmwusa.com